This “Doctor’s Post” was obviously written by a “Free Marketer for Health Care”. His socially myopic outlook colors his narrow Republican view of health care as a “product” that be sold to those who can afford it. It is doubtful that the young doctor has learned anything about citizens’ right to healthcare and the benefits of universal healthcare coverage in his brief lifespan, let alone from Canadian doctors with whom he claims to have worked. Most Canadian doctors adamantly and unwaveringly SUPPORT SINGLE-PAYER NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. It works. But this fellow wants to REWARD INSURANCE CO. VULTURES WHO MAKE THEIR MONEY OFF THE SICK AND INJURED!

This “Doctor’s Post” was obviously written by a “Free Marketer for Health Care”. His socially myopic outlook colors his narrow Republican view of health care as a “product” that be sold to those who can afford it. It is doubtful that the young doctor has learned anything about citizens’ right to healthcare and the benefits of universal healthcare coverage in his brief lifespan, let alone from Canadian doctors with whom he claims to have worked. Most Canadian doctors adamantly and unwaveringly SUPPORT SINGLE-PAYER NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. It works. But this fellow wants to REWARD INSURANCE CO. CROOKS

NATIONAL SINGLE-PAYER Universal healthcare should be the INALIENABLE HUMAN RIGHT OF ALL CITIZENS. It is in Canada since l965 and that’s why Nicolas Kristof is writing on Americans who immigrate to CANADA to avoid BANKRUPTCY for medical bills….

However, we must acknowledge that Hillary, who was the true pioneer when everyone else was sleeping at the switch, did research on the Canadian system to find out why Canada since l965 spends only 1/3 in administrative costs on healthcare and per capita allocation. The U.S. is #37 BELOW COSTA RICA (#36) and thankfully above SLOVANIA. What has contributed to this dismal statistic is the reluctance, indeed refusal by Republicans to take the matter seriously and treat it as a chronic symptom of twisted priorities. This is a MORAL, humanistic and national issue that cannot possibly be made to fit in a (failed) FREE MARKET rhetoric a la Reagan/Bush.

Give Democrats credit for being the only Party that has consistently tried to remedy this festering wound that is now a cancer metastasized thru the body politic.
The real problem is OBAMA himself. He is clueless, and knows little if not nothing about this subject that is the cause of 65% of bankruptcies (and 80% of them have insurance!!).

Only a SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WORKS. Canadians would rather lynch and tar and feather their politicians if anyone of them dared to take away what is considered their INALIENABLE HUMAN RIGHT–THE RIGHT TO HEALTHCARE FOR ALL CITIZENS!

Read about the 59-year-old American lawyer (N.Y.Times Nicolas Kristof on Diane W) who has made her home in Canada, primarily because of its fantastic universal health care system! Don’t believe the Republican lies on this….

Obama’s an idiot. But Health care is too serious to be played a fool by any party that wants to get reelected. Tax the top 5% and cut half the military budget and you’ve got your money. Don’t dare touch Medicare/aid! Shame….

The health insurance lobby loves them some Obama.

Long … read the whole thing … plenty of grist for this mill.

First, Angell and Liberman are 100% for healthcare reform. In fact, they want to go straight to a single-payer system or want a total government take-over of healthcare. I think the current healthcare bill may actually be the path to single-payer, which means that these two could still get what they want out of this bill. It is probably unrealistic to go directly to single-payer, as it would take time to adjust 16% of the economy. However, where Lieberman and Angell really seem to disagree with the administration is with the process and how this has unfolded. However, Angell and Lieberman significantly contradict themselves in this interview on this point.

They first state:

TRUDY LIEBERMAN: It’s really a political calculation. And I think that they believe that they have to act quickly, because it might not happen. Because the sooner you have the special interests going back home, during the August recess and holding town hall meetings and talking to people in coffee shops, they’re going to find that maybe this isn’t something that people really want or have doubts about.

MARCIA ANGELL: Well, I think we are in a hurry. I think that President Obama’s worried, that what happened with the Clinton plan can happen with him. And I do have a feeling of Déjà vu all over again. That this is like 1993. That the opposition is having a chance to mobilize. To march out these Canadians who say they had brain tumors and had to die. Or these ads that say 20 percent of Europeans drop dead.

TRUDY LIEBERMAN: And Harry and Louise are back
MARCIA ANGELL: And I think he does. He is right to worry about that. And he is right to want to do it in a hurry. The problem is he is not doing the right thing.

They agree with Obama that he should be in a hurry to get a bill passed before the lobbying becomes over powering. That is their first argument or actually an agreement with Obama.

But Angell also says in the last line is:

“The problem is he is not doing the right thing.”

So what does Angell and Lieberman suggest is the “right thing”.

“I think we have to start all over on this. I really do. I think we have to go for a single payer system. You could institute that gradually. You could do it state by state. You could do it decade by decade. You could improve Medicare. That is, make it nonprofit. But extend it down to age 55 and age 45 and age 35. It would give the private insurance industry a chance to go into hurricanes, earthquakes or something. To get out of the health business. It could be done gradually. I think that has to be done. And it’s the only thing that can be done.”

And now, besides “starting over” what is the different in the approach suggested by these policy analysts: ” You could institute that gradually. You could do it state by state.” I thought the gradualism was awful, given that they agreed that Obama is right to be in a “hurray”? And I thought the most vibrant version of the Bill moving out of the House HELP committee had an Amendment, passed bipartisanly, that makes provision for, makes the rules allowing, gives permission to: States Implementing Statewide Single Payer Systems. So the bill actually sets up a road map for single payer.

“It could be done gradually. I think that has to be done. And it’s the only thing that can be done.”

So except for “starting over” – they are in complete agreement with the present process. What Angell and Lieberman want is so close to what is happening.

Instead of “starting-over” as these two recommend, why not get done what we can now, which could put us on a path to single-payer, as they seem to want? There throwing “good money after bad” comment I am afraid really ignores the political realities.

See: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/health-care-for-all/1503

http://www.thepresidentialcandidates.us/canadas-health-care-system-is-better-than-americas/1105/

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/archive/2009/05/12/health-care-lies-about-canda.aspx

The plan is either good for all of us. Or none of us.

We have a House, Senate and WH filled with blathering hypocrits. And it goes across party lines.

A pox on both their parties!

I’ve taken my own foray into the health care reform debate on my blog. The newest article is What’s good enough for the Moose is good enough for the Panderer

Read it if you like and comment if you desire.
Don’t give up the fight. The life you save may literally be your own.

We already ration healthcare. We ration it based on income.

The libertarian in me says: So, everything is rationed. I certainly have not been able to buy as many shoes as I’d like due to my economic circumstances. Should the government help me buy more shoes?

But I think that misses the argument. We need to find a way to get the bureaucrats, the “administrators” and the insurance profiteers out of healthcare.

When we have 19 vice presidents at a Chicago Urban hospital making hundreds of thousands each, something is wrong!!!

Canadian Health Care

Ask a Canadian!

For those of you who find the current debate over the details of the Dems proposed health care “reform” too complicated, here’s a one minute eye opener: